As we continue to heal from the emotional and life changing realizations of Domestic Violence and Breast CancerAwareness month; it has become apparent to me that there is an important theme that resonates throughout these traumatic yet travailing experiences. This would be the importance of the care and treatment of women and girls around the world.

As our Creator ordained women as the vessels of origin for life and family, women are often viewed as inherently nurturing and able to act as the fortitude and failsafe of civilization. While this expectation is one of great weight and even greater honor… it is also, in many instances untrue. Women and girls are not always equipped to delve out love, respect, honor, devotion and nurturing… so often, they’ve never had the opportunity to receive and/or experience these feelings. The historic patriarchal context of womanhood alone substantiates the attitudes that attempt to destroy and negate the very nature of women and girls to last a life time. It is of no surprise that women still struggle so diligently for the most basic elements of empowerment and human representation.

While not perfect, women are certainly human; not property, tools, toys, or experiments. Women are not bets, threats, pawns or passing phases, to the contrary, women are so much more. Women, like all other humans on this earth desire and deserve tender, genuine love, true devotion, timeless passion and tireless protection.

Not only do women deserve to receive these treasures, but also to feel able and worthy of providing them as tiny snapshots of a much larger picture. Upon our breast, rest the cradle of society… what we bear fruit to will eventually become the sustenance for mankind… this difficulty is increased tenfold by domestic and government abuse, lack of appropriate treatment, care, resources and concern? There is a blatant disregard for the betterment of woman which is incredibly hard to shoulder considering all that we place upon our shoulders.

We must continue from a humanistic perspective, to establish and maintain the guidelines, boundaries and road maps that support our needs, the needs of our children and the continuum of life. We must improve upon our own standards, level of acceptance and become more discriminate about our tolerance for pain. Our personal care and treatment should be our first priority. We must affirm the significance of our responsibilities; establish the depth of our contributions; and invest in our self-worth, not selfishness. If we are not willing to uphold, fight for and increase the values our treasures … how can we possibly expect anyone else see us for the jewels that we are?

God Speed to the families, providers, supporters and survivors of Domestic Violence and Breast Cancer!